A Girl In Denial
by RebelliousRedhead
Summary: Ginny Weasley's fourth year at Hogwarts. Set alongside Order of the Phoenix. This is my first attempt at a Potter story so please let me know what you think! This is also my first story after a very long break from writing, so apologies if it is a bit rusty! Thanks! :) Please review!
1. Dementors

Well, this was definitely not what Ginny Weasley had expected of her summer. She brushed through her damp hair, squinting slightly at her reflection in the grime- covered mirror, hindered further by the flickering stub of candle she had positioned next to it. She sighed and put down the brush, turning to survey the dingy attic room she was supposed to call a bedroom. The dark wallpaper was peeling off the walls and mould was creeping across the ceiling from the damp corners. Two beds had been crammed into the room, along with two Hogwarts trunks, a cat's basket and a stack of books that Hermione had called "holiday reading". Ginny looked out of the small window into the darkening street below and thought wistfully of The Burrow; of long sweeping meadows, light open space and not a single foul- tempered House Elf in sight.

She was brought back to Grimmauld Place with a bang as the bedroom door slammed open and Ron sulked into the room.

"Where's Hermione?" he practically grunted at her.

"Downstairs, I believe," Ginny replied. "Crookshanks was chasing mice in the drawing room, I think she was going to make sure he didn't leave anymore dead gifts in her bed."

Ron snorted.

"Any word on Harry yet?" Ginny asked.

"Not yet, Dumbledore says we still can't send anything. He's convinced all post going to Harry will be intercepted."

"I bet he's going crazy" Ginny commented, thinking of Harry's desire to be kept in the loop about everything, especially when it involves You-Know-Who.

"Well, you know Harry," Ron sighed and shrugged, "I expect we will get an earful when he does eventually arrive."

Their conversation was interrupted quite suddenly by extremely loud voices echoing upstairs, followed by door slamming and the screeching of Mrs Black's portrait.

"What the -?" Ron began.

"Come on!" Ginny interrupted, hurrying from the room, her brother following in her wake.

They met Fred and George on the next landing, both peering curiously out of their bedroom door. Silently, the twins crept along behind Ginny and Ron to where Hermione was already peering over the bannister. The raised voices were in the kitchen but they heard the front door open and close quietly and watched Albus Dumbledore gliding towards the commotion. He looked us as he passed below them all.

"Everything will become clear shortly," he said, looking at each of them in turn before reaching the kitchen door. He extended his arm towards the door to open it but there was no need, as it was pulled open from the other side and Sirius came striding out, looking livid.

"Is this true, Dumbledore?" he demanded, breathing heavily, "dementors in Little Whinging?"

Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth in horror.

"It is Sirius, but I can assure you, no harm has come to Harry."

"How can you be certain?!" Sirius cried, pulling a heavy travelling cloak around himself.

"I have had word from Arabella Figg, one of our lookouts, who found Harry and his cousin after the attack. The boys are, understandably, shaken but are home and safe."

"Safe!" Sirius scoffed, "Being expelled by the Ministry for using magic to save your life doesn't sound very safe to me!"

"Harry will not be expelled from school, I will make sure of it," Dumbledore spoke calmly. "However, I do not know how those dementors found Harry or who sent them. Therefore, I think it unwise to leave Harry alone in the muggle world for much longer. Molly, I assume there is a bed ready for him here?"

"Yes Albus, it has been ready for weeks," their mother spoke.

"Excellent, then I believe we must discuss travel arrangements. Come along, Sirius."

Dumbledore indicated the kitchen and the group retreated, Sirius pulling off the travelling cloak, but still breathing heavily. Dumbledore looked up once again.

"No letters," he reminded the group hanging over the bannister, before closing the kitchen door behind him.

"Come on!" Hermione hissed, and they followed her into Ron's room, as it was the closest.

"Dementors!" Ginny cried as the bedroom door closed, "How?!"

"Well, I doubt it was an accident," Fred spoke, looking grim.

"Expelled!" Ron gulped.

"You heard Dumbledore, Ron, there is no way he will let that happen!" Hermione assured.

"What if he doesn't get a choice? You've seen the papers, they think he's a senile old lunatic!"

"It's Dumbledore, Ron, he will find a way," George said.

"Poor Harry," Ginny sighed.

The sound of the front door opening and closing again distracted them momentarily, wondering who could be next to arrive into the heated discussion downstairs. Moments later, Mrs Black was screeching again.

"ABSOLUTE DISGRACE!" The Weasley's heard their mother roaring, even louder than the portrait.

"Excellent!" Fred grinned, "Fancy a peek?"

They all hurried back out onto the landing and peered back over the bannister. Stout, little Mundungus Fletcher was backing slowly towards the front door, with half of the Order of the Phoenix closing in on him.

"I swear, if I thought something was wrong, I wouldn't have gone!" he pleaded, "Nothing had happened so far and those cauldrons were a bargain!"

"YOU PUT STOLEN CAULDRONS BEFORE MY GODSON, AND NOW HE HAS A HEARING AT THE MINISTRY!" Sirius bellowed, "I OUGHT TO WRING YOUR NECK!"

"Dumbledore!" Mundungus pleaded, craning to look to the back of the angry mob, "Please make them stop!"

"Quite frankly Mundungus, I have half a mind to let him do it!" Dumbledore snapped.

Hermione flinched. None of them had ever seen Albus Dumbledore lose his temper.

"You put Harry Potter in immediate danger tonight. You were lucky Arabella was there to clean up after your idiocy. I strongly advise that you vacate these premises until Harry's family and friends have calmed down. I would also recommend that you mind your head!"

Mundungus looked up just in time as Fred and George launched a dungbomb apiece over the railings at him, as Ron cheered, glaring down menacingly at the crook in the hallway.

Mundungus was out of the door in a shot.

"Clean that up boys!" Snapped Mrs Weasley, face flushed with anger, though her eyes betrayed her and the mischievous sparkle that was ever present in the twins' eyes flashed up at them.

The adults returned to the kitchen, Lupin flicking his wand at Mrs Black, silencing her. Fred and George pointed their wands at the dung splattered hall.

"Well, it was only a matter of time before Mundungus upset everyone," Ron said, "Mum's never liked him much."

"I can see why!" Hermione agreed.

Ginny was too appalled to comment.


	2. Deliveries

An owl was waiting at the attic window when Ginny returned to her room that night. She let the handsome long-eared creature in and it hopped onto her bed. She untied the letter attached to its leg and it fluttered to the floor, then sipped water from one of Crookshanks' bowls.

Ginny opened the envelope and read;

 _Ginny,_

 _Hope your summer is going well so far and you've managed to get plenty of Quidditch in!_

Ginny snorted, and continued to read.

 _I've just about got all my homework done. Binns' is taking the longest. Aren't the Goblin Rebellions interesting though? How is your family? Are your brothers giving you grief?  
Can't wait to hear from you,_

 _Michael._

Ginny smiled down at the letter and sat on her bed, thinking about what to reply. She had met Michael Corner at the Yule Ball last year. After the initial disappointment of not being able to go with Harry, she had ended up having a really good night. Neville had introduced her to a group of students that had happened to include Ravenclaw's Michael Corner. He had been rather charming, having asked her to dance numerous times and, at the end of the night, he had invited her to the next Hogsmeade weekend with him. They had gotten along really well and Hermione had told her to go for it when Ginny had confided in her closest girlfriend.

"This will be really good for you," She had said, "Michael seems lovely!"

So, Operation 'Get- Over- Harry- Potter' had begun. It seemed to be working well. She felt much calmer about his impending arrival at Grimmauld Place. It would be rather nice not to desperately want to leave the room every time he walked into it, out of fear of embarrassing herself.

She had just put pen to paper when Hermione entered, holding her giant furball of a cat. The owl on the floor eyed it suspiciously, before vacating the floor and settling more comfortably on top of the wardrobe.

"Letter?" Hermione asked.

"It's from Michael," Ginny said, holding it up.

"Ooh, lets see!" Hermione giggled, depositing Crookshanks on her bed and sitting opposite Ginny, who handed her the letter and let her friend read.

"He's almost finished his work?" Hermione asked, glancing at her trunk. Hermione worked hard, into the early hours of the morning sometimes, on her homework; but she had been getting distracted lately with the Order, and cleaning the house.

"We can do some tomorrow." Ginny told her, taking the letter back.

"You'd probably be best telling him you've played so much Quidditch that you can't sit on a broomstick much more. We're not allowed to tell people where we are." Hermione said, getting up and pulling out her night clothes from her trunk.

"You know there are charms to stop discomfort like that," Ginny grinned.

Hermione laughed, "I know, but you get what I mean though?"

"I do," Ginny smiled, picking up the quill.

 _Hi Michael!_

 _It's great thanks, the weather has been perfect for plenty of Quidditch in our orchard! It has been so much fun! So much so, I haven't really started my homework yet. I will try tomorrow though!_

 _The family is great, everyone is really pleased to be back together again!_

Ginny paused. Did she mention Percy here? No, that was much to personal for a first letter. It could wait.

 _Hope your family are well!_

 _Speak soon,_

 _Ginny x_

She tied the letter to the waiting owl and it took off through the window, Ginny closing it after it. She found her own pyjamas and got ready for bed. Extinguishing the candles, she got into her bed and glanced over at the dark shape that was Hermione's bed.

"Did you hear any more on Harry?" Ginny asked her.

"Well it sounds like half the Order is going for him. I heard Tonks asking Moody about her broom on the way out."

"Do you know when?"

"No," Hermione said, "But I'm sure it'll be very soon."

She could almost sense Hermione's smirk at her in the darkness.

Ginny awoke with a start to a shriek from the next bed and a strangled yell from near the bedroom door. Bolting upright, she looked and saw a beautiful snowy owl with Hermione's hair grasped tightly in her talons while the owls wing was attempting to cuff Ron around the head, where he had backed up against the wall in alarm!

"GET HER OFF ME!" Hermione cried.

Hesitantly, Ron stepped forward and extended his arms to Hedwig. She rewarded him with a sharp nip to his index finger which began to bleed rapidly.

Ginny jumped out of bed and hurried over as Crookshanks jumped up onto Hermione's legs, a dead rat clutched in his mouth.

Hermione screamed.

"Crookshanks, drop!" Ginny commanded.

Crookshanks released the creature and Ginny picked it up by its tail, trying to hide her disgust.

"Hedwig, look!" Ginny called.

The owl was momentarily hypnotised by the meal swinging from Ginny's hand. Ginny flung it onto the top of the wardrobe and Hedwig followed it, releasing Hermione and catching Ron in the face with a wing.

"What on earth was that about?" Ginny asked, staring curiously up at the bird.

"I have no idea," Ron said, sucking his injured finger, "she was at my window so I let her in and she had three letters; one for me, one for Hermione and one for Sirius."

He held up two scrolls in his uninjured hand and Ginny saw another laying in Hermione's lap.

"I was putting it in my bag and she just took hold of me!" Hermione wailed, "This is why I chose a cat in the end!"

"Oh yes, because he's perfect!" Ron scowled at Crookshanks, who was still watching Ginny with a look of ultimate betrayal. She would have to make it up to the cat for stealing his breakfast.

"So, you were just putting the letter in your bag?" Ginny asked, trying to divert from a potential row between her brother and best friend.

"Yes," Hermione said.

Ginny picked the letter up and looked down at Harry's untidy scrawl. It was messier than usual; this had obviously been written in a hurry.

 _I've just been attacked by Dementors and I might be expelled from Hogwarts. I want to know what's going on and when I'm going to get out of here._

"What does yours say?" Ginny asked Ron.

"Exactly the same," He told her.

"I'm guessing Sirius' does too?" She asked.

Ron shrugged, "Probably."

Ginny glanced up at Hedwig who had her back to them and was noisily tearing strips of the carcass.

"Were either of you replying to the letter?" Ginny asked, still watching the owl.

"We aren't allowed to, are we?" Hermione sighed, "That's why I was putting it away."

Ginny began to smile and turned her back on the other two.

"I think she might have been following orders," she chuckled.

"Come again?" Ron asked.

Realisation dawned on Hermione's face, however, and she gasped.

"Ron," she whispered, "I think we might have underestimated just how angry Harry is going to be!"

Ron gulped.


	3. Dungbombs

Ginny wasn't aware of Harry's sudden arrival at Grimmauld Place, until she heard his bellows echoing throughout the entire house. Ron and Hermione were right; he was positively furious about being kept in the dark.

She prayed he would hush soon as she quickly hoisted up the extendable ear that she had been dangling over the staircase, towards the kitchen door. The last thing she needed was her mother coming to investigate Harry's outburst and being caught trying to eavesdrop on a top-secret Order meeting. So far, however, she hadn't heard anything except a slight buzzing.

She frowned down at the door.

Her mother had yet to appear and Harry had quietened slightly. Maybe she had more time?

Fumbling in her pockets, she dug out a dungbomb. Tonks had been most helpful yesterday when she had let slip that Mrs Weasley had been planning on charming the door, after catching Fred and George eavesdropping. The buzzing must mean an imperturbable charm had been cast.

"I remember imperturbable charms in our Auror training," Tonks had sighed, "Quite frustrating and difficult to recognise. I threw half the contents of my bag at it and watched it all sail away before I realised."

She had winked at Ginny at the end of her sentence and Ginny nodded in return, letting her know her message had been received, loud and clear.

Ginny tossed the dungbomb in her hand and caught it, pondering.

If it did hit the door and was discovered, she could always scarper and blame Fred and George; they wouldn't mind. Or even Crookshanks? Everyone knew how much he loved playing with them. If the dungbomb sailed away from the door, then at least they knew what they were dealing with. She took aim and launched, ducking immediately and watching through the railings as the dungbomb appeared to bounce off an invisible force and land softly, unexploded, on the ground. Rifling through the large pockets on her dungarees, she found three more bombs. She watched as each one sailed away from the door.

"Damn it!" She cursed, standing up and turning away, deciding she may as well go and greet the newest house guest.

She stood outside Ron's bedroom door for a second and took a deep breath.

'Relax,' she told herself, 'just be yourself!'

She saw the tell-tale sign of an extendable ear wriggling its way out from under the door. At least Fred and George were already down her; plenty of people!

She reached for the handle, determined to show the world she was well and truly over Harry Potter.

"Oh, hello Harry. I thought I heard your voice!"


	4. Downfall

Yawning slightly, Ginny made her way back up the Grimmauld Place stairs, clutching Quidditch Through the Ages under her arm. She remembered leaving it in the parlour last night and thought it best to retrieve it before her mother noticed it and berated her for not being packed and ready to go. She needn't have worried though, the sun was only just risen and her mother was already flapping, terrified of missing the train. She had barely even registered Ginny entering the kitchen waving a hand, clutching her wand, vaguely in her daughter's direction as she fervently stirred porridge on the stove whilst simultaneously bewitching a knife to butter toast.

"Morning, Mum," Ginny had mumbled, collecting her book and a slice of toast from the stack, before heading back for the stairs.

"Bring your stuff down here as quick as you can, Ginny. We need to sort the luggage, and wake those brothers of yours!" Her mother called after her.

Reaching the first landing, Ron emerged from the bathroom.

"You'd better get a move on," she told him, "Mum's already on one!"

"Blimey, you'd think after all these years of going to King's Cross, she would have mellowed out a bit," Ron sighed.

"Well, you know mum. It's not September 1st without her almost giving herself a stroke. Are you packed?"

"There about," he glanced at the bedroom door, "I think I'll wait a bit longer before I start banging about. He's had another rough night."

Ginny frowned, but Ron shrugged.

"He'll talk when he's ready," Ron assured her, looking behind her as Fred and George appeared down the next flight of stairs.

"Morning!" George greeted them.

"Mum got breakfast yet?" Fred asked.

"She's just finishing up," Ginny told them, "I'd get in there now before she goes full tyrant."

"Noted, little sis!" Fred said, patting her head and continuing down the stairs, George following in his wake.

Ron headed back into his and Harry's room, quietly closing the door, and Ginny continued her climb to the attic room.

Hermione was just snapping her trunk closed when Ginny entered.

"You're ready?" Ginny asked.

"Of course, aren't you?"

"Almost" Ginny said, chucking her book into her trunk and picking odd bits up from around the room that she had overlooked the night before; mismatched socks, hair ties and other such items.

"Do you know if Ron's awake?" Hermione asked.

"He is, but Harry isn't. He's had another dodgy night's sleep again apparently. Ron didn't want to wake him just yet."

Hermione sighed and dragged her trunk to the door but, before she could leave, there was a pop and George appeared in the middle of the room.

"Mum's just checked the clock," he told them, mischief glinting in his eyes, "It's tyrant time!" He grinned at them both and disapparated.

There were muffled voices downstairs now and, considering they could hear it from the attic, whomever it was must have been talking pretty loudly.

"I'll take my trunk and go hurry the boys up," Hermione said, looking oddly nervous. Ginny wondered if her mother really was that scary to outsiders.

"I'll be right behind you." Ginny assured her.

Hermione left and Ginny did one last sweep of her room, checking under her bed and on top of the wardrobe for anything she may have missed. When she was certain she had everything, she locked her trunk and began to drag it from the room. She pulled it on the stairs as quietly as she could, determined not to startle Buckbeak, who was sharing their floor.

She made it to the next landing, which included Fred and George, and Sirius' rooms. Knowing this floor was probably all awake, she dragged the trunk a little quicker to the next flight of stairs. She was about to step from the top step when she heard it; the whooshing sound. She looked up moments too late as two, huge Hogwarts trunks barrelled into her, knocking her backwards. Ginny screamed in terror as she fell, smashing every inch of her body on each step as she tumbled down and down the stairs. She tried to stand as she reached the next landing but the trunks didn't give her a moment's pause, shoving her down the next flight too. She could feel nothing but pounding agony in every limb, as she hit the cool entrance hall tiles with a sharp smack.

Two feet spun before her eyes, and she heard a gasp and a shout of "MRS WEASLEY! COME QUICK!"

Her mother came running from the kitchen and screamed at the sight of her daughter on the floor, Hermione crouched over her. Two trunks, with the initials F.W and G.W, leaned haphazardly against the bottom steps, and crushing Ginny's legs.

Two pops signalled the trunk's owner's arrivals. Their laughter stopped immediately as they took in the scene before them.

Mrs Weasley was scanning her daughter with her wand.

"Broken ribs," she hissed, "You're lucky, boys, that I can heal that immediately. Get me the medical kit from the kitchen!"

Ginny watched, through very dazed eyes, one of her brothers' sets of legs disappearing. She thought it better to focus on other things rather than the pain. She tried focussing on the hall. There was a small hole in the skirting, where Ginny assumed mice had once congregated, before Crookshanks had moved in for the summer. Then there was the ugly troll leg umbrella stand. What a hideous shade of greyish green it was. Ginny had always liked the colour green. It was the colour of her quidditch team, The Holyhead Harpies. It was the colour of a rather pleasant apple flavoured Bertie Bott's bean. It was the colour of the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen, eyes had spent nearly the whole summer stealing glances at, when nobody was looking. She smiled as she recalled the one time that he had caught her staring, while they were clearing out a drawing room. Instead of looking away embarrassed or annoyed, he had simply held her gaze, quite curiously, before her idiot brother had regained his attention.

"Why is she smiling like that?" Fred asked, concerned, "How hard did she hit her head?"

"She looks a bit loopy, mum." George added.

Ginny realised a lot of the pain was leaving her. Her mum was waving her wand above her in intricate loops, muttering all sorts of incantations, while Hermione was applying a bruise paste to her cheek. She noticed she could move again and began to sit up, the smile vacating her face as she looked around to the culprits for her fall. She scowled at them menacingly.

"Thanks guys, just what I needed!" Ginny spat, getting to her feet.

Sensing her daughter was back to her usual self, Molly Weasley rounded on her twins, who had backed into the wall looking at the woman, terrified.

"Hermione, why don't you go get Harry and Ron?" Sirius suggested. Ginny hadn't noticed him standing nearby. Hermione didn't need telling twice, thrusting the bruise cream into Ginny's hand and practically flying up the stairs.

"I think we're about to feel the wrath of both of our mothers." Sirius grinned down at Ginny who smirked back, as Mrs Weasley exploded, followed almost immediately by Mrs Black's portrait.

Molly Weasley's temper set the tone for the rest of the morning. Harry and Ron appeared not long after the incident, depositing their trunks beside the twins', Hermione's and Ginny's, which Tonks had kindly collected from the second landing, before leaving the house. Ron grabbed a stack of toast from the kitchen table, handing half to Harry, who was discussing travel arrangement with Mad- Eye Moody.

Ginny took one last look at her reflection in the mirror beside the stairs. The bruise paste had at least salvaged her from any black eyes. She still looked slightly worn; whether it was from lack of sleep or her near- death experience, she wasn't sure. She was almost knocked over for the second time that morning by the shaggy black dog who had jumped faithfully to Harry's side. He smiled, and ruffled the dogs coat.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Sirius, Dumbledore said no!" her mother cried at the dog, who responded with a slight growl.  
"Oh, honestly, on your own head, be it!"

She opened the front door and they filed out after her, leaving Mad-Eye shrinking their trunks.

Ginny found herself next to Harry at the bottom of the steps of Grimmauld Place. He was smiling, a rare sight, as he watched Padfoot chasing the pigeons in the road.

"Hey, I heard about the trunks," he said, turning to look at her, "Are you okay?"

She gazed back into piercing green eyes and willed herself not to get tongue tied.

"Oh yeah, I'm alright, broken ribs is nothing!" she waved her hand airily and smiled.

His eyebrows raised slightly and he chuckled. She determinedly ignored the fluttering in her stomach and forced herself to think of Michael, who she would be seeing in a few short hours.

"Well, I'm glad you're not seriously hurt." He smiled and gripped her upper arm.

She felt her heart accelerate rapidly, and she suddenly forgot how to breathe.

The bark of a dog took Harry's attention and he let go of her, moving towards his four-legged godfather and setting off up the street.

Ginny didn't move for several seconds until Hermione nudged her in the back.

"Told you!" the bushy brunette muttered softly in her ear, "He'll pay more attention if you be yourself."

"He asked if I was okay." Ginny told her, deciding that if she disclosed it to someone, then she couldn't have dreamt it.

"That's interesting" Hermione said, looking after her best friend further up the road, and pursing her lips.

"Oh? How come?"

"Because he already asked me how you were upstairs."

Ginny glanced up at her friend.

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Then why did he ask again?"

For once, Hermione didn't have an answer.


	5. Disappointment

Harry's sudden interest in her well-being certainly played on Ginny's mind all the way to King's Cross, which wasn't an overly long walk from Grimmauld Place. Twice, she had almost knocked into muggles in her dazed stupor, who didn't help matters as they were too busy staring at their mismatched group, which made Hermione giggle and Ron look at his sister with serious concern for her mental state.

Harry was up front with Tonks and Animagus form Sirius. She watched him laugh at something Tonks told him. Ginny scowled. She loved Tonks, she was like the older sister Ginny had never had. The woman had made the summer cooped up in Grimmauld place bearable, but something territorial stirred inside her as Harry laughed at the other girls joke.

Ginny shook the lunacy from her head. Tonks was already in her mid-twenties, she wouldn't have an interest in a school boy like Harry. Out of the corner of her eye she glanced at Hermione; the brunette bookworm was probably her most likely competition but, again, that didn't seem very likely, especially with the glances she was throwing Ginny's youngest big brother. Yes, she was more in line for 'sister-in-law' than 'Harry-Stealer'.

There wasn't anybody at school she could think of, as she turned to say goodbye to her mother. Harry was extremely insular, he didn't really interact outside his little group of friends and his quidditch team. Even at the Yule Ball, an event that had been designed for mingling, he had sat in the corner with Ron, looking as though he would rather be anywhere else in the world, instead of that room. Not that Ginny had been paying him _any_ attention, of course, she grimaced and followed him on to the train.

Ron and Hermione were saying something to him, guilty expressions apparent on their faces.  
"Well I - I might see you later then?" Harry said to Ron.

They were leaving him? Oh, of course, they were prefects now.

"Yeah, definitely!" Ron told him.

Harry was watching them go, it looked a bit pathetic really.

"Come on!" Ginny said, getting his attention, "If we get a move on, we'll be able to save them places!"

"Right," Harry agreed.

Ginny's heart was pumping a little more furiously now. She hadn't really considered this turn of events; travelling alone on the Hogwarts Express with Harry Potter. She had told Michael in a letter she might come and find him later, but she wouldn't leave Harry alone, Michael would just have to wait until Ron or Hermione showed up, that's if, they ever would.

She pretended not to see the stares Harry was receiving from other students. He sighed heavily behind her. She had the urge to turn around and tell him everyone was an idiot, but her trunk was rather heavy and they needed seats.

Hogwarts was a long way off, hours and hours. What would they talk about? He hadn't exactly been the most chipper person that summer, for a good reason of course, but there were only so many games of exploding snap two people could play.  
Salvation came in the form of Neville Longbottom and, surprisingly, Luna Lovegood.

Taking seats in Luna's otherwise empty compartment, the four got introductions out of the way and Ginny sat back, listening to Harry and Neville discuss the coming year.

Her mind started to wander again.

He was sat directly opposite her, watching Neville chatter animatedly. He listened more than inputted, smiled and laughed. A couple of times she saw him glance at her and she smiled warmly, which he returned, making the butterflies viciously attack her insides. For the first time she felt hope, rather than dread, when it came to Harry.

Michael who?

Ginny came back to the conversation when Neville presented a rather lumpy and ugly looking plant.

"Mimbulus Mimbletonia!" He told them proudly, gazing lovingly at it.

Even Luna Lovegood had peeked over her Quibbler to watch.

Harry looked from the plant to Ginny, and they both looked away hurriedly, avoiding grins and smirks. They were not about to hurt Neville's feelings.

"Does it-er-do anything?" Harry asked.

"Loads of stuff!" Neville beamed, "It's got an amazing defensive mechanism! Here, hold Trevor for me."

The toad was thrust into Harry's hands. Defence mechanism? Ginny pondered as Neville took a quill out of his bag. Oh, no. He wasn't going to anger it, was he?

As he prodded the plant, Ginny flung her arms over her face and Luna ducked behind her magazine. Ginny felt her legs become drenched in a warm liquid and heard whatever it was splatter the room. It smelled disgusting.

Ginny peered between her fingers. Everything was covered in dark green, slightly smoking fluid, that unfortunately looked like some form of pus. She looked at Harry. He was drenched from head to toe, and was hurriedly trying to wipe his glasses clean on the arm of his jumper so he could see, while still clutching Trevor. He retched slightly and spat a mouthful of the stuff on the floor of the compartment.

She didn't hear what Neville was saying as her face broke into a grin and she was starting to laugh.

The compartment door opened, this would be the perfect time for Ron and Hermione to find them, she chuckled.

Her face dropped its grin the moment she looked at Harry's face, and her heart plummeted at lightning speed into her stomach.

"Oh, hello Harry, um, bad time?" Ravenclaw seeker Cho Chang spoke from the doorway.

Harry's face was turning pink under the splatters of stink sap, as Neville had called it.

"Oh, hi." he told her, his eyes roving hungrily, over the older girl's face.

"Um, well I just thought I'd say hello. Bye then."

She disappeared and Harry watched her go, a longing expression gracing his features. She had been wrong, so completely wrong. Hermione Granger was not a threat in the slightest, nor was Nymphadora Tonks. The same could not be said, however, for the stupidly pretty Cho Chang.

Harry groaned, dropping Trevor and covering his face.  
Ginny felt her eyes burn and she felt slightly nauseous. Although some of that could have been due to the stench of the compartment.  
She drew her wand; she didn't really fancy vomiting in front of everyone.

"Never mind!" she told Harry's covered face, trying to control her shaking voice. Luna glanced at her curiously.

"Look, we can easily get rid of all of this. Scourgify!" she repeated one of her mum's most well used spells. The compartment and its occupants were clean again.

She sat back down and gazed out the window, at the luggage rack, at Trevor, at the Quibbler's front cover. Anywhere but Harry Potter. She could feel the burn in her throat and tear ducts, but she fought it. Oh, how she fought! How could she have been so stupid to get her hopes up like that, especially after all this time? Disappointment was a very cruel emotion.

She was brought back to the compartment from the raging sea of emotions and humiliated thoughts, by a soft hand brushing the top of hers.

Luna Lovegood was offering her a cauldron cake; a small, knowing smile on her face.  
Ginny accepted it gratefully. It seemed that she might have made a new friend on this journey. The boys were now swapping chocolate frog cards, oblivious to the girls opposite them. Her new friend gave her a nudge and Ginny smiled, grabbing her own out of her trunk, feeling a rush of gratitude for Luna's presence.


	6. Distractions

Ginny wandered into the Great Hall for breakfast next morning still half asleep. She had meant to get an early night, she really had, but she had revelled in giving Hermione an earful for getting her hopes up. Deep down, she knew Hermione hadn't done anything of the sort, but she felt selfishly gleeful taking her disappointment out on somebody. Hermione just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"I really didn't think Cho would give him a second look this year!" Hermione had admitted "Not so soon after Cedric!"

"Well she was certainly looking in that damn train carriage!" Ginny fumed, launching her recently unpacked school shoes under her bed, in her dormitory.

Hermione was probably regretting coming in to say goodnight, Ginny mused, but that didn't matter right now. She could always apologise later.

"It might not mean anything" Hermione said, her voice a little high.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Ginny spat, "You didn't see his stupid pining face."

"I understand it must be hard, Ginny, and you're probably feeling a little jealous but-"

"Whoa, who said anything about jealous? I'm not jealous! I'm annoyed at the lack of warning, sure, but I am definitely not jealous!" Ginny interrupted.

"Okay, you're not jealous," Hermione said, sounding thoroughly unconvinced "But think logically, her boyfriend only died a few months ago, I don't expect she's going to act-"

Hermione was interrupted again, this time by the arrival of Ginny's fellow fourth year girls.

"Goodnight, Ginny," Hermione told her, bundling Crookshanks closer to her and turning to ascend the stairs to the next floor in a hurry, probably to avoid any more of Ginny's 'Weasley Temper'.

"Good summer, Ginny?" Demelza Robbins asked.

"The best!" Ginny responded, sourly, slamming her trunk shut.

She lay awake for hours, her temper simmering, wondering what on earth was so special about Cho Chang and why she was even bothered about it in the first place.

The Great Hall was still busy as she slumped down onto the bench at the Gryffindor table. She locked eyes with Hermione, several seats down from her. Hermione gave her a rather cautious smile, which she tried to return warmly, showing her apology on her face. It must have worked as Hermione's shoulders relaxed slightly as she turned back to say something to Ron.

Ginny jumped slightly at the tap on her shoulder.

She turned and found herself face to face with her summer pen pal.

"Morning, Ginny!" Michael said, grinning.

"Hey!" She told him, turning back to the table and grabbing a slice of toast, busying her hands so she didn't feel so awkward. He sat down beside her.

"Looking forward to your first day of lessons?" he asked

"I suppose, I just wish I'd slept a little better. I hope we have something easy going today, to make up for it."

Michael looked down at his timetable in hand.

"Seems we have Herbology with you Gryffindor's. That isn't until after lunch though."

"Ginny!" Demelza called, hurrying down the table, "I have your time table here! McGonagall gave them out just before you came down."

"Thanks, Demelza!" she said, gratefully taking the sheet from her.

"Oh," Ginny sighed, looking at it "Transfiguration first."

So much for an easy first morning.

"Never mind," Michael said, patting the top of her hand gently, startling her a little, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling, "Maybe we can meet for lunch and then go to Herbology together?"

"That would be nice, thank you."

Ginny smiled at him and he squeezed her hand slightly, she hadn't realised he still had hold of it. She noticed Demelza's eyes zero in on them and she gave Ginny a look that suggested she was going to be interrogated all morning.

"I'd better be getting off to Arithmancy," he told her "I'll see you later."

He got up from the table and smiled at Ginny, before leaving the great hall, turning and waving slightly as he reached the door before disappearing. She moved back to her breakfast and noticed Hermione beaming approvingly at her from behind her newspaper.

Lunch came around slowly, being overtired hadn't made her morning any easier. She made her way to the great hall, her bag already heavy with homework and extra notes from Muggle Studies. Maybe she would owl dad, he might be able to help with her essay on The Muggle Debate on Adverse Effects of Technology, although she really wasn't sure her father would ever believe anything the muggles created could have a negative impact on their health or the environment. As she was pondering how to persuade him to aid her, she almost walked past Michael, who was waiting at the doors of the Great Hall.

"Hey, you!" he laughed, catching hold of the strap on her bag and pulling her backwards.

"Oh, sorry!" she said, turning and looking up at him. He looked genuinely pleased to see her, which was nice.

"Lost in thought?" He asked.

"Yeah, I was just thinking about my Muggle Studies homework; it seems a little tricky."

"Anything I could help with?"

"Maybe, do you know much about muggle technology?"

"Ah, not really, there might be books in the library though? I was thinking of going there later, after dinner, if you wanted to come?"

"Possibly, although I may need to catch up on some sleep," Ginny told him.

"A fair point," he chuckled.

They had arrived at the four tables.

"Did you want to sit with Ravenclaw?" he asked, gesturing the handful of empty seats nearest the oak doors.

Just as Ginny was about to agree, Cho Chang herself swept into the great hall and sat down with her friend in two of the seats, meaning Ginny would be sitting opposite her. She felt that horrible heavy feeling in her stomach again.

"Actually, do you mind sitting with Gryffindor? I haven't really seen Neville since the train and I was hoping to speak to him about Herbology."

It was a pitiful excuse and she knew it, they hadn't even had Herbology yet, and Michael was in that class with her. But he seemed to buy it.

"Sure, no problem!" he smiled at her and she led him to where Neville was sitting alone with a book propped against his goblet, and eating his lunch.

"Hi Neville!" Ginny beamed at her saviour.

"Hey Ginny, Michael," Neville swallowed and greeted them, "How's your first day?"

"Good so far," Ginny told him "Yours?"

"Not bad, we have that Umbridge woman later today though. She seems a bit of an odd one."

"We don't have her until tomorrow," Michael told him "You'll have to let us know how it goes."

"I will, what do you have this afternoon?"

"Herbology" Michael said, "I think Ginny had a question for you about that too."

"Oh, erm, yes," Ginny said, "I was wondering what sort of thing we will be studying in fourth year, it'd be nice to get a head start."

"Sure!" Neville smiled, closing his book and beginning to talk about his previous year's studies. Ginny breathed a sigh of relief, she was certain even Fred and George would have been impressed with her quick thinking.

After a quick lunch, Michael walked with her to Herbology and stayed beside her for partnering up. Demelza was quite unimpressed with this turn of events, leaving her to partner with Romilda Vane instead, much to Ginny's amusement.

They parted ways in the entrance hall after class, Michael pulling her in for a brief hug before he disappeared to the dungeons for potions and she headed upstairs to charms. Maybe things weren't so bad. Michael seemed really nice and he was definitely showing plenty of interest in her. If she kept this up, maybe Harry would just disappear from her mind altogether and she would be able to chill out and get on with her life. She certainly hadn't had much time to dwell on thoughts of him today, at least. That was definitely a promising start.

However, when she returned to the common room to drop her bag off before dinner, she found that her hopes may have been short lived.

The few people who hadn't gone down to dinner yet were all talking excitedly; something exceedingly interesting must have happened this afternoon. She caught snippets of conversation as she headed for the girl's staircase.

"He really shouted at her, I heard!"

"Well Seth Crawley in Hufflepuff said he shot a jinx at the old bat!"

"That's ridiculous, he would have been expelled!"

"Seth is a second year, what does he know?"

"Well, where is he now then?"

"Come on, Potter isn't that stupid!"

The last one made her stop, dead, her foot on the bottom step of the stairs. What had Harry done now?

Launching her bag into a corner of the common room, she turned on her heel and headed out of the portrait hole and down to the great hall as quickly as she could. As she reached the entrance hall, the man of the hour stormed out of the Great Hall, closely followed by Ron and Hermione. Hermione was talking very quickly to him, but whatever she was saying was clearly making him more annoyed. His hands were clenched into fists and his cheeks were flushed a deep shade of pink. Ron glanced up at his sister as they passed and half-smiled in greeting before he followed the other two up the stairs.

Ginny entered the great hall and took a seat beside Fred and George. They were discussing their Skiving Snackbox design with Lee Jordan. At least they didn't think Harry's life was worth gossiping about. At least, not before business, that is.

"Well hello little Ginny Bean," Fred greeted her, "Had an educational first day?"

"Its been okay," she shrugged "Yours?"

"Quite illuminating," George grinned, "First years are wonderfully naïve!"

"Oh dear, what have you done now?"

"Nothing yet," Fred told her "But we have a healthy supply of them waiting in the common room for us to test our new product range."

"You're going to get into so much trouble," Ginny sighed.

"From who?" George asked, "Do you think dear Ronnie is going to go skipping off to McGonagall?"

"Yeah, him getting that prefect badge was a real stroke of luck for us," Fred positively beamed with pride.

"Hermione might though?" Ginny warned.

"Nah," Fred waved the thought away, "She won't want to land herself in Ron's bad books, at least not this early in the year."

"They'll be too busy with Harry tonight anyway," Lee added.

"What's happened?" Ginny asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Put Umbridge in her place from what Ron said," George muttered, seriously, "Told her You-Know-Who was back and that the Ministry was nothing but a bunch of rotten liars."

"Oh." Ginny said, frowning.

"McGonagall looks thrilled." Fred said, nodding at the staff table.

Ginny glanced up and saw a tight- lipped Professor McGonagall glaring down the table at Umbridge. Umbridge herself looked slightly tense.

"Never learns, our Harry, does he?" George commented, standing up, "Come on Fred, before the first years go to bed."

"See you in the common room, Ginny Bean!" Fred told her, as he and Lee took off after George.

Ginny never went back to the common room. She decided she could do without listening to Harry's name on everyone's lips. After dinner, she headed up to the library, to find Michael. If he was working on his homework, the last thing he would want to discuss was Harry Potter.


	7. Discussions

News of Harry's revolt in Defence Against the Dark Arts spread like wildfire through the school, and for the first week of term, it was all people could talk about. Students debated in the corridor's whether Harry might be telling the truth, or whether he was as insane as the papers were saying. It was quite frustrating being a Weasley, for a few days. There were those in her year who seemed to think she might have some inside detail, given that her brother was his best friend and, sometimes, he came to stay at their house. She hadn't realised that the latter had been such common knowledge, and for a while she found it unnerving people knew so much about his life but, after a Hufflepuff second year asked her outside the great hall if it was true Harry had attacked most of her family in his sleep, she figured most of it was probably ridiculous rumour and guess work and she started to get annoyed, threatening those who accosted her with a lovely Bat Bogey Hex. One person who hadn't mentioned Harry, however, had been Michael and that had been a great relief.

Things died down after the weekend, and everyone had started discussing quidditch trials. Ginny floated around the common room notice board, reading and re-reading the try-out notice. The date and time were now burnt into her retina's, but she remained indecisive. Fred and George were on the team already, and she had heard them taking the mickey out of Ron who had only asked which positions were open, one evening by the fire. They didn't even know she could fly a broomstick, let alone play the game. The morning of trials came around and she made it all the way to the oak front doors, furiously arguing with herself, before turning sharply on her heel and hurrying back up to the common room. What was she thinking? She didn't even have her own broom. She watched miserably as the opportunity of a lifetime passed her by, all because she didn't believe her brothers would think she was good enough and she began to kick herself.

It was, however, a pleasant shock to see Ron welcomed onto the team; Fred and George were positively astounded. It was much easier to be pleased for him, she decided, than it was to be disappointed that she bottled it at the last minute. She tried to push it out of her mind as she allowed him to give her a play by play of the entire trial while he awaited Harry's return from yet another detention. Seeing her brother suddenly more confident in himself was worth it, she decided, he definitely needed this boost.

The quidditch buzz died down a few days later and everyone went back to complaining about Umbridge's new regime. Ginny was heading back to the common room after a particularly difficult day of classes when a yell made her almost drop her school bag all over the corridor in front of the Fat Lady.

"Ginny!" the voice called behind her as the portrait hole swung open. She turned and saw Hermione breathlessly running to catch up with her. Ginny held the portrait open as Hermione clambered in rather clumsily, dropping a few sheets of revision notes from her arms.

"Hey Hermione!" she greeted her friend warmly, "Good week?"

"You have no idea!" Hermione said "OWL year really is as bad as they say!"

"Huh, Ron seems really relaxed?"

"Well he would, wouldn't he? I can't understand why those two are so laid back about work!" she sounded exasperated. Ginny looked at her closely, Hermione's eyes were bloodshot and the skin under her eyes was a deep purple. Knowing her friend's quite meticulous work schedule's she liked to set herself, she voiced her concern.

"Hermione, you are sleeping at night, aren't you?" she asked, as they headed for the girl's staircase.

"Of course," Hermione said, "maybe not as much as I would like but this studying won't do itself!"

"You'll make yourself ill doing that!" Ginny scalded.

"I'll be fine," Hermione waved her concern away making Ginny frown, "I need to talk to you something anyway."

"Oh?"

"How are your lessons with Umbridge?"

"Completely uninspiring and full of ministry drivel, why?"

"Have you picked up a wand in class?"

"Nope, to be honest if she wasn't such a psycho, I'd have half a mind not to attend the class at all. I could learn more from a book in the library, that's if you haven't checked them all out already"

Ginny nodded at Hermione's school bag which appeared to be at bursting point.

They had passed the door to Ginny's dormitory but she continued up the stairs with Hermione, curious as to where she was going with this. The fifth-year girl's dormitory was deserted, Parvati and Lavender were probably still at dinner. Hermione put her bag down at the foot of her bed and sat down, indicating for Ginny to join her. She sat, leaning against the foot board of the four-poster bed, waiting in anticipation for Hermione to continue.

"I've been thinking, that maybe we should start up a club, sort of like the duelling club Lockhart taught, but we only invite trustworthy students, those who believe You-Know-Who is really back, and want to learn proper defence," Hermione told her.

"That's an interesting idea," Ginny considered, "But who would teach it? Are you smuggling Lupin in, in a trunk?" she grinned.

"No," Hermione laughed, "Harry will do it."

Harry? But he was a student too, Ginny thought, although he did seem to know more defensive spells than anyone else that she knew. Hadn't he been in trouble for a Patronus just this summer? That was pretty advanced stuff. He did save her from certain death too aged twelve, she shivered, pushing the memories of the Chamber from her mind. Then there was his first year, Ron had told her all about it when he came home that summer, and he had made it all the way through the Triwizard tournament the year before. Really, he could be the perfect one for the job. There was just one problem Ginny envisioned.

"Erm, have you actually asked him to stand in front of a room of people and tell them what to do?"

Hermione smiled.

"He says he's thinking about it, but he's going to say yes, if its to help people defend themselves and others from You-Know-Who"

Ginny knew she was right.

"So, what's the plan?" she asked.

"We're meeting in the Hog's Head, first Hogsmeade weekend. It'll be sort of a registration meeting and organising things. Ginny, I don't really know many people in your year besides you and Colin, do you think you could put the word out to people who would be interested, and won't tell Umbridge about us?"

"That I can do, I'll ask Colin for sure and Luna too. I don't think Demelza will, her mum works under Umbridge at the ministry and I think her mum warned her not to cross her. Colin will definitely ask Dennis too. There's a couple of Hufflepuff students who are all right, but I don't know them well enough just yet, perhaps if I talk to them a little more in Magical Creatures, then maybe."

"Ginny?"

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you forgetting someone?"

"Am I?"

"Michael?"

"Oh!" Ginny glowed scarlet, in all the excitement of fighting back, she had forgotten her own boyfriend. It was odd, she had never really considered Michael and Harry in the same small room together, let alone speaking. It was two sides of her brain that stayed far apart. But he was trustworthy enough right? She could ask him, "Yeah, I'll ask him, maybe he will know some Ravenclaw's?"

Next day, Ginny traipsed to the library in search of Michael. She had gotten Colin that morning at breakfast and he had enthusiastically agreed and hurried over to Dennis, just as Ginny had predicted. The library was quiet, and she found Michael with ease, tucked in a corner with a stack of books. She slid on to the bench beside him.

"Hi," he greeted, looking up for a moment, before turning back to scribble on his parchment.

"What are you working on?" She asked.

"Potions essay," he told her.

"Oh, how fun," she commented sarcastically, "Listen, I need to talk to you about something."

He put the quill down and turned to look at her.

"What is it?"

Ginny glanced around, they seemed to be alone. It was relatively safe to talk. Still, she lowered her voice.

"Hermione Granger took me to one side yesterday. They're starting a defence group, to learn defensive spells and how to protect ourselves from, you know, _him_. The thing is, Umbridge can't find out, it's a total secret, would you be interested in coming with me?"

"If it's a secret, Weasley, you shouldn't mutter so loud in a library," a voice said behind her, making her jump out of her chair. Laughing, Terry Boot slid into the bench opposite her, followed by Anthony Goldstein. "But this sounds like something I'd be interested in, tell me more."

Learning forward, Ginny lowered her voice even further.

"We're meeting at the Hogs Head in Hogsmeade, first weekend. I think Hermione wants to explain things herself, and get Harry warmed up to it a bit."

"Harry?" Michael spoke for the first time, "What's Potter got to do with it?"

"Well, he's going to teach it," she explained.

"Why?" His eyebrows furrowed and he looked rather annoyed.

"He knows the most about this stuff, don't you think?" Ginny felt a surprising anger washing over her. Her cheeks burned, and she hung her head slightly, so her hair fell into her face to hide it.

"Well I will definitely be there," Terry said, oblivious to the tension, "Ant?"

"You can count on it!" Anthony smiled at her as she looked up. She returned it, calming slightly before looking expectantly at Michael. He seemed to be thinking about it, a slight grimace on his face.

"I suppose, if everyone else is," he sighed.

Ginny frowned, he seemed reluctant. She thought he would jump at an opportunity to learn something new, at least, he did seem to spend most of his time in the library after all.

"Maybe Potter will give us some details," she heard Terry mutter to Anthony, and she rose from the table.

"I have some homework to do, but I left it in the common room, I'll catch up with you later."

She gave Michael a tight smile before turning on her heel and hurrying out the door.

Why didn't Michael seem to want to go to the defence meeting with her? Surely, he couldn't be that opposed to rule breaking? Come to think of it, she wasn't sure she had seen him ever break a rule, except for eating a pastry he saved from breakfast while reading in the library. Maybe asking him had been a mistake, she considered, though he didn't seem the type to go running to Umbridge, especially if his friends were so up for it. She hoped that was the case, at least.


End file.
